Global positioning system (GPS) and other navigation systems or map services (e.g., Google Maps, MapQuest, etc.) can provide highway or route directions for a vehicle to go from a current location to a target destination. These navigation systems or map services may first detect the vehicle's current location, and then, with reference to geographical highway maps, identify different paths or routes from the vehicle's current location to the target destination. The navigation systems and map services may present one or more of the paths or routes to the vehicle operator as suggested paths or routes for the vehicle operator to follow to go from the current location to the target destination. The suggested paths or routes may be based on calculations of travel distance (e.g., shortest route), or based on calculations of travel time (e.g. fastest route) using historical traffic conditions data for different paths and routes.
The navigation systems and map services, which may be targeted for short-haul or medium-haul driving, suggest paths or routes to drive, but do not provide suggestions for when a driver should make stops or take breaks (e.g., a rest stop, or a meal break). Such stops or breaks which limit continuous driving hours are desirable (e.g., for safety) in long-haul driving.
Consideration is now being given to systems and methods for long-haul trip planning for commercial vehicles on dynamic considerations of multiple constraints including, for example, vehicle speed, fuel economy, limits continuous driving hours and requirements for driver meal breaks and rest stops.